Holes Above Us
by J. Maria
Summary: Poetry Challenge. Cordelia is given another mission by the Powers. Will she take it?


A/N: Ok, this is based on a poetry challenge from Jinni. Spoilers through Angel episode 100 and OotP. This is a one shot. But, it is a prequel to a new story I'm working on. So basically if every or anyone likes this one, the new story gets written. As always, how did I do?

****

Holes Above Us

"I am the daughter of Earth and Water,  
And the nursling of the Sky:  
I pass through the pores of the ocean and shores;  
I change, but I cannot die."  
The Cloud  
Percy B. Shelley  


* * * * *

__

I felt him. I really felt him. I got to touch him and know that he was okay. That I could put it all right again. I can't believe . . . I know what I have to do, but I still miss him.

Cuz, you see, I'm dead. . .and I don't know if I can deal with it.

* * * * *

The sun was bright, almost too bright to see the place around her. She blinked several times. Cordelia Chase remembered being in Angel's office, and then being here suddenly.

"It does get easier, you know." Cordelia turned to face the blond before me. She smiled shyly.

"But I left him. . .I just want to know he understands."

"He understands death better than either of us do. And we're the ones who are dead."

"But he is too."

"No, he's the undead. That's different."

Cordelia stared at her for a second. She seemed to know everything.

"Who are you?"  
"Tara. . .I belonged to Willow. And you were Cordelia. You belonged to Angel."

"Tara. . .Oh, yeah. Um, who's he?"

She pointed to the dark haired man standing behind Tara. Tara looked over her shoulder and smiled softly. She turned back to Cordelia and took her hand.

"He's stuck, like you. You want to go but you also want to stay. So does he. His name is Sirius. He's been waiting to watch over a loved one. But, their paths are intertwined. As are yours."

"Huh?"

__

"Two children, cast to the stones

Never knowing if it ever ends

Chosen to be great

Given over to hate

They fight the loss

They can never replace

And in their Souls they feel

A pain that burns."

Cordelia blinked, trying to take it all in. _She had just spouting verse, and I was supposed to _actually_ follow that?_ She thought.

"Ok. . .Huh?"

"Sorry, that happens here sometimes." Tara chuckled. "There are two children running around there that you care about. They have an intertwining fate. You and him are supposed to watch over them. Because you're basically still unresolved."

"Unresolved? Un-freaking-resolved? Hello, I kissed Angel good-bye and was ready to move on. I - I am over-resolved."

"You couldn't explain to him, though."

Connor. . .No, she couldn't apologize to him. Or explain. And Tara freakin knew it. _K, not really liking Willow's dead girlfriend._

"How'd he fail? He get possessed by a demon and sleep with his best friends daughter, making a major demon child, too?"

"No, he died trying to protect his best friend's son. Said boy is now blaming himself for not saving him."

"You know, I think you're too smart for your own good."

"I've told her that several hundred times in the last four months. She won't listen." Sirius entered the conversation for the first time. He grinned mischievously at Cordelia. _God help me, I felt flutters. _

"Cordelia, Connor needs you to watch over him. He - he has no clue what he's up against. And if you never get a chance to tell him - to explain, how will you feel?"

Cordelia looked down. Connor needed her in a way that she could finally really be there for him. And Angel couldn't do it, so she would take his place. She could make amends for wrecking his world.

"I - I have to work with him?"

"Yes."

"Great. I get paired with another tall, dark and broody."

"Minus the Fangs." Tara said softly.

Something clicked in Cordelia's head. Tara had died a couple of years ago. Why was she still in-between? So she asked her. She smiled sadly.

"I was needed to watch over a girl. Make sure she turns out all right."

"Dawn?"  
"Yes. She's special."

Everything grew silent for a few minutes, Sirius had walked away again. Tara watched Cordelia for that time.

"What are we, really?"

"Pawns of the Powers. They need this all in motion. And we're being recruited. Nothing can happen to these children. Besides, it's not as if we have anything to do up there, really."

She had a point. But she hadn't answered the question. Not really.

"But _what _are we?"

"Immortal spirits with the gifts to shield those we loved, even though we are no longer there."

"Can we die?"

"No, because we're already dead."

"Oh."

"Cordelia, do you want to do this?"

"More than you know. Just wish I - "

"We all wish we could still be alive. But this is the second best option."

* * * * *

Harry Potter watched as the rain streaked down the window in his room. He couldn't take anymore of this place. He wished that he could go back to the way things had been last summer.

At least Sirius had still been alive. He looked out the window and watched as lightening struck. Up the street, he could see Dudley racing with three other teens to number four. As lightening lit up the darkened sky again, a shadowy image formed in the middle of the street. His eyes were drawn to it. They widened in shock.

* * * * *

Cordelia screeched as the lightening struck, and the thunder clapped. She felt Sirius' arm loop around her. She decked him.

"Bloody hell, woman! I only was trying to make sure you were ok!"

"Well, I never said you could touch me."

"You're insane."

"You're dead."

"Oh, very clever comeback. How'd long it take you to come up with that one, Chase?"  
"Oh, and you're just a brain-trust of comebacks?"

Cordelia turned away and watched the four teen run up to a house. She felt a pang in her heart as she recognized one of them.

"Yours in there?" She nodded to them.

"No, Harry wouldn't hang out with Dudley and his thugs."

"Those two _girls_ are thugs?"

"Never know, they are flitting about with Dudley."

"Well, that one never was a thug when I knew him." She said softly.

"Why not?"

"Cuz that's my Connor."

The taller of the two boys, and considerably leaner, stopped as the other three raced into the house. He turned to face the street. Cordelia held her breath, which she realized was kinda stupid. He looked right at them as a dark haired boy with glasses raced out into the rain.

"And that's my Harry."

With that, they disappeared from earthly sight.


End file.
